Large Electroformed Nickel Moulds for Aircraft Parts

Although some earlier expectations of widespread use of glass reinforced resin for (stressed skin) parts of aircraft were not fulfilled (quality control difficulty with a hand laid up material), glass and other fibre reinforced plastics, “GRP”, plays an increasing role in the manufacture of light as well as large 'planes. There is an incentive to use GRP whenever not only lightness but also freedom to use complex curved shapes is needed, permeability to radar sometimes forming a further attraction.